Why labeling, assessing, and treating outbursts should be part of trauma-informed care

Clinically impairing outbursts are transdiagnostic symptoms responsible for a large number of children referred to emergency departments and higher levels of care, with many of them having trauma histories. Until the last AACAP Presidential Initiative, outbursts were variably defined, often around irritability, temper, aggression, and suicidality, and have often referred to diagnostic and treatment considerations primarily focused on bipolar and disruptive behavior disorders, less focused on PTSD or traumatic stress disorders, with a surprising dearth of research literature on the latter two. The use of a new DSM-5, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) code offers the opportunity to move the field forward.